savetheearth | When You Fall Down | [ video -> action ]

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When You Fall Down | [ video -> action ] | open

[ The last few days have been a little too much for Adrian to take and, uncharacteristically, he decides to communicate with the numbers community with video. After the last time he had tried to promise himself he wouldn't try this again but with no pulses to ward him off he felt safe to broadcast. The camera on his phone focuses on his face, he's casually dressed and when he speaks his new, pointy teeth are not hard to miss. He's outside, the sun is setting. ]

Hi everyone, sorry if my last video disturbed some of you. Not my intention, promise.

[ He motions to cross his heart with his free hand ]

Anyway, my "sorry" message here is that I'm out tonight. Anyone who wants a drink text me and I'll tell you where I am. I probably owe some people more than one.

So, [ He pauses a moment before managing a lopsided smile ] maybe I'll see some of you later.

---

Who: Adrian and...
What: After what's happened in the mine and the stress that followed Adrian felt the need to get out and have a drink.
Where: One of the many bars in the city centre
When: Today (26th June)

Adrian is at one of the many so-called "indy" bars in Locke city, the walls are plastered with various posters of bands old and new; ranging from Pink Floyd to Florence and the Machine. He's found a ~~grotty,~~ cosy, little corner composed of an assortment of chairs around an old wooden table. He's in the largest, plushest of chairs; a red, leather armchair which dwarfs his slender figure. The table in front has a variety of messages carved into it and he seems fascinated with reading them as he sips on his beer.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You think so? I wonder if such a person is attractive?

[ He responded, and tried to remain focused, but his eyes quite clearly wandered to Shou's exposed legs (and those impressive boots). Adrian had never come across a man quite this confident, especially one confident enough to dress in such a provocative manner, and perhaps even more surprising to him was that Shou actually showed interest in talking to him. Adrian had always considered himself to be very normal, not exotic or special, and if that was the case then why did someone like Shou - who was obviously very special - want to speak with him?

Maybe it was the offer of a free drink? ]

I don't know actually, I suppose as long as we don't talk about the mine I'm pretty happy.

[ A small smile and their drinks arrived ]

Thank you.

Remind me to introduce you to something called visual kei, mm?

[Shou was very comfortable in his skin. He knew it well, and knew his body's limits and knew just how much more attractive he could be when he tried. of course part of that was arrogance - Shou moved like a man that knew what everyone was thinking around him - but part of it was the understanding the world around him. Things were changing of course - one could not be in the numbers club without seeing that - but Shou still knew himself.]

What do you do in your free time? Make ice cream to hand out to people or something else?

[ Where Shou was the epitome of confidence Adrian contrasted him with a quiet shyness, he was a man who hadn't had the opportunity to share many close relationships. His parents had died whilst he was still young and he had spent a lot of his life alone, he hadn't had the confidence boost many had experienced through close friendships or sexual encounters. That said, this didn't leave him bitter or resentful of his loneliness; he was inherently curious (if a little naive) and was deeply fascinated with Shou's obvious display of comfort and self assurance.

His blunt (but somewhat joky) question caused Adrian to chuckle and he shook his head was a genuine fondness ]

That's my job, not my hobby. When I do have time off though I like to read and I like foreign cinema a lot too, although I can only speak English. I come out to bars, but I don't have many friends here in the city.

[ A pause ]

That must sound terribly dull to someone like you. [ He proceeded to take a sip of his drink, stirring the ice in it he watched it, there it was as it had been the first day they had met, that sad, distant expression. Beautiful but irrevocably broken. ] I imagine you go out all the time with big groups of people, it was kind of you to come and see me.

Edited 2013-06-28 19:53 (UTC)

I like reading too, but not just novels. I read all sorts of things, and I like foreign films. It's how I pick up other languages.

[he polished his English from action movies, and spent a long time watching Korean dramas in order to speak the language better. being a horrible romantic, he watched enough romantic comedies that he often picked up on the tropes so easily that they got boring to him now. now he was working his way through French films, though his accent will need a lot of work for a very long time to come.]

Why is something like that dull to me?

You pick up languages from films--my goodness.

[ Adrian hadn't been quite so observant as to pick up much, he only seemed to remember irrelevant language from the films he'd seen. ]

Dull? Well, like I said, you seem like someone who knows a lot of people and does a lot of different, exciting things with them.

[ Suddenly Adrian felt terrible for even suggesting that ]

I'm sorry, it's wrong of me to assume anything about you, you just seem like the sort of person who would be very popular, that's all.

I watch them without subtitles and play them over and over again saying the words along with the characters on the screen. After a while, the words just click.

[he blinked at Adrian and then laughs, taking a sip of his drink before leaning in close and nudging him with his elbow.]

Hey. Stop that. I'm no better than anyone else around here; I just have been luckier. My parents always showed me off, so I just decided to be a bigger show-off. I never let my own insecurities ruin any fun I could ever have.

[ A humble, genuine smile at that ]

That's admirable, I'm not sure how I feel about my insecurities or how they might inhibit me.

[ He shakes his head lightly, pushing those thoughts from his mind ]

Maybe it's not worth thinking about it too hard.

[ And with that he takes another long sip of his drink. Mixing beer and spirits, Adrian is a smart man. ]

Yet, you do think about how you may seem boring to others. You're just not the kind that goes out all the time. That's just how you are.

[ Shou sipped his drink and watched Adrian, wondering if he was going to be dragging the young man home later on this evening. ]

Thinking hard is never a good thing.

[ Adrian turned and nodded to the bartender once again, ordering the two of them another round. ]

You're right, let's not think too hard tonight.

[He laughs, raising an eyebrow at the next round of drinks and then snags the bartender's sleeve and tug him close for a whispered conversation. Letting him go with another smile and a very pretty wink, he turns back to Adrian.]

Oh, that's something we do not want me to do this early in the night. We might actually get up to something... dangerous.

[ Adrian's brow raised, confused by that exchange ~~and what was that, he felt a strange, uncomfortable knot in his stomach at that wink to the bartender~~ ]

Dangerous? [ He echoed dumbly, taking a sip of was maybe his forth --or fifth-- drink. ]

[don't worry. after they finish of this round, they get a different drink, this one light and crisp in taste.]

Oh... You know. [Shou brings his fingers to his lips, touched the tip of his tongue against them, winks and then laughs before shaking his head.] Nah, teasing. Unless you do wanna get dangerous.

[ Adrian may have enjoyed that gesture more than he should of, and somewhat drunk now, he tries to disguise this with a very obvious, stifled laugh. ]

Ah! Oh, what? No, that's just preposterous!

[ He had a double take at the table, since when had he finished that drink and another one appeared? ]

Oh! [ He chimed ] That just came out of nowhere, didn't it! Oh well, bottoms up! [ And he proceeded to taste it, with a rather satisfied "mm!" ]

[he laughs, shaking his head and leaning in close yet again, tapping his glass against Adrian's.]

Are you sure about that? I can be wild and reckless and just a little too much for my own good.

Oh, we all have dark sides.

[ Adrian said straight-faced, unblinking, and almost serious --until of course he clinked his glass back to Shou's and took another, large gulp ]

Ah, this is good! What did you order? We'll have to get another!

[ Silly Adrian, unaware that they'd moved off the strong stuff. ]

Mm, give me you dark side.

[he didn't want to see Adrian getting too sick or regret drinking the next day. hence the change in the drink.]

It's called Afterglow.

[ That was not the response Adrian was expecting, and the name of the drink went straight over his head. What was he doing; whatever coherent parts of his congnitive processes were now running amock, he was actively flirting with a man. A man in a skirt. ~~Who he may well have been quite attracted to, as much as his conscious thoughts would've said otherwise.~~

Adrian's line of sight ~~obviously~~ went from Shou's eyes, to his lips, and back again. His own lips parted to speak, but he hesitated, pausing to swallow. What serious expression had been on his face seemed to soften minutely ]

What if you don't like it?

[ He asked, appearing vulnerable for a moment ]

[something about their conversation had gotten serious. Shou spent a moment stirring his drink with a tiny straw, watching Adrian under the fall of his hair. he never had any hang-ups when it came to lovers so long as he could connect with them. it had less to do with what gender they were born in and more to do with how well they connected mentally.]

I'm a big boy and can deal if it turns out bad.

[ But what if I can't deal with it if it turns out badly? Adrian thought to himself, the words a distant echo somewhere in the back of his mind. In this ~~drunken,~~ tipsy haze he couldn't quite coherently understand what it was about Shou that lured him in, any 'feelings' Adrian had ever had for another man before he put down to simple, very pure and innocent admiration, but this was different.

Shou's cool confidence coupled with his intense, unwavering look was subconsciously tempting, and in a way that Adrian felt it shouldn't be. Despite those blatant come ons Adrian felt as though he was leaning in to do the wrong thing. Something immoral; a sin.

Yet he didn't stop inching closer, and he couldn't stop his hand from rising, reaching to touch the backs of his curled fingers against Shou's jaw. Just as he couldn't stop himself leaning in for a kiss; a naive, (if somewhat confused) sweet kiss. ]

[that might happen. Shou just wasn't someone to look towards when it came to a serious relationship. while he was a romantic at heart, he just spent so much time involved in everything but a relationship that he unintentionally hurts the person he's with. he never tried to hurt people, but it was a lot like his inability to commit to one kind of work - he felt there was something else out there.

especially now with the song he never knew about and the idea that there was someone who shared that song with him.

he didn't flinch or pull back, keeping his expression clear and looking directly at Adrian. he leaned slightly into the touch and when Adrian did kiss him, he kissed him back, keeping things sweet.]

[ Adrian had closed his eyes, but as the kiss came to a close he opened them and realised that Shou had been looking at him the entire time. He pulled back, mouth closed and jaw tightening, brow furrowed as a wash of something akin to guilt or embarrassment came over him. What had he done, what was he thinking.

Confused panic set in and that eye contact ended as if it had been too fragile to ever last. ]

Sorry,

[ He stammered, recalling that awkward knot he'd felt weeks earlier when he'd been too friendly over the network with that other man who had spoken to him. Why had they both been men? He wasn't... No, he pushed that thought from his mind. He told himself it had all been the influence of something else, the drink, the shock of his teeth falling out, something else. ]

sorry, [ he repeated himself ] I... should go.

[ Then why was he still sitting there?

Get Up!

He told himself and willed himself to his feet with a slight wobble ]

Thanks for keeping me company.

[not everyone was comfortable with that kind of closeness. Shou knew that and yet he still liked playing with people, to figure out if this time he could show them that it didn't matter. there was nothing wrong in enjoying a person's company, and nothing wrong with just a kiss - he had always been free with his kisses.]

Sorry for what?

[the genuine puzzlement in his voice was echoed by his slight pout as Adrian reacted in a way he way too familiar with. he didn't want the other man to hate himself or question his desires as being just from too much alcohol or teasing or a number of factors that he would rationalize later. problem was, rationalizing would only make him feel guiltier.

Shou stood up, reaching out to stop him from stumbling away.]

Why? You did nothing wrong. A kiss is just a way to show trust.

[ Adrian found himself in a predicament; the remaining, comprehensive parts of his mind still funcutioning told him to turn and walk away. He could explain this days later, shrug it off and say it was nothing and that it was just the beer moving him. But just the slightest touch caused a rift in that logic; his heart didn't want him to walk away.

Adrian once thought he was good at hiding his true feelings, in fact, he still thought that he was the master of his own emotions. But he wasn't, and he obviously wasn't too, because when he looked up to glance back at Shou his face was full of confusion (and maybe even fear).

He spoke, but his voice was almost completely drowned out by the bar, he felt like a small spec in a sea of hot bodies. An awkward coolness pitted against the warm, sweating mass of people. Why did he feel so distant from all of them.

Well, almost all of them ]

Is that what a kiss is?

[ There was no indignation or force in that question; he seemed genuinely curious, as though he'd never been told the true meaning behind a simple kiss ]

[he wondered what kind of life Adrian had. he said he wasn't use to being around a lot of people and that he found Shou and his openness so much at odds with him. that Shou was at ease with this kind of place, that he was so much use to the press of the bodies and the dizzying heat and sounds and smells of a club at full swing, must have been strange to him. he couldn't understand it, but maybe that was because Shou never let things get to him. he got angry and he got bold but he wouldn't let his fear dictate his steps.

and touching other people, moving in close, sharing a kiss or a cigarette or a drink with them was just another way to show his fears that they were not going to tell him how his life should be led.]

I trust you. [a smile as he spoke, fearless, shameless, and without any sort of mockery. just the simple truth as he saw things.] I trust you to leave myself open to your touch. I trust you to press my lips against yours even though it would be easy to get stabbed. I trust you to understand that this kiss is my way of showing that I do trust that you will not hurt me.

A kiss is as intimate as you can get without taking off your clothes.

But what if I did hurt you-- [ Adrian said, with a genuine fear, without thinking clearly he added ] --what if someone else did? [ Somewhere in the back of his mind were undertones of jealousy that he couldn't begin to comprehend or understand ]

Are you not afraid of people? Of what they can do?

[ No one in Locke city knew Adrian's past, they didn't know of his lonely, bullied upbringing, the brutal murder of his parents or the years he'd spent alone here. How he had felt so abandoned, never able to connect with others, forever an outsider too scared to put his heart on the line for something he was convinced was destined to fail. ]

Sorry, I... probably shouldn't have said that, [ And although his expression did soften, fear leaving it, what replaced it seemed much worse; a sort of reside sorrow, a sadness that didn't want to leave him be ] I don't think you'd have anything to fear from anyone.

[ How ironic, when Adrian had been Alucard he had feared nothing, the prince of darkness had had nothing come close to scaring him and here he stood now, too shy and awkward to be honest with his own feelings ]

When You Fall Down | [ video -> action ] | open

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((Sorry this is so late!!))

that's okay :3

:D

<3

;}

>3 shou's evil

I think he may well be :D

oopsy?

"Oopsy" my butt ;)

8D

>:}

awww

xD

sob adrian

I know, he's a dope x)

and shou is a sap XD

Adorable <3

;;;

omg I know!! <3

poor adrian ;;

Shou, why so cute?!

/flails/ he would say he's isn't cute, just silly

Adrian would disagree ;) definitely cute.

pffft Adrian is just cute